


Quell

by dollydolittle



Category: American Idol RPF
Genre: Hunger Games AU, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-04-26
Updated: 2013-04-25
Packaged: 2017-12-09 12:49:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 461
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/774374
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dollydolittle/pseuds/dollydolittle
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The announcement for the 75th Hunger Games was broadcast all over the Capitol.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Quell

The announcement for the 75th Hunger Games was broadcast all over the Capitol. 

For all that it was a Quarter Quell and the excitement and anticipation in the crowd of diners around them was practically palpable, it was business as usual at their table. Cassidy was already sketching concepts for each District, fingers crossed for someone who was actually decent-looking, and Adam was eating a salad and half-heartedly listening to Brad as he whined about the price of silk going up exorbitantly.

He watched President Snow’s hand as it drew out the yellowed slip of paper that held the Tribute’s fate and a strange feeling of dread rose in his chest. 

Adam wasn’t an idiot. As frivolous and vapid as he could pretend to be, his illusion of peace and prosperity in the world had been shattered six years ago by a brown-eyed boy, and he knew that Brad’s difficulty obtaining his fabric of choice had everything to do with the rebellion growing in District 8 and nothing to do with anything shown on the evening news. Unrest was growing throughout Panem, and Snow was not as benevolent as he appeared to be.

His grip tightened on his fork, mind caught on the memory of bruises ringing a wrist, of a face drawn in pain, lips tight and eyes glazed… And his appetite was gone. Instead of another bite of salad, he reached for his water glass and promptly dropped it as Snow’s voice rang throughout the restaurant. 

It shattered, the sound loud and shocking in the sudden quiet that filled the room. For a moment, all Adam could hear was his heart pumping too fast, the blood rushing to his head, and then, as abruptly, the chattering started all around him. He could hear equal parts exhilaration and dismay in people’s voices, betting already starting…Which past tributes would be chosen? Who would volunteer? What would they wear to the Opening Celebration?

He couldn’t breathe.

“Adam…” 

“I have to go.” He didn’t know how he managed the words, just nodded at his friends without seeing them, and walked out the door.

The apartment he owned had been paid for by the 69th Hunger Games, his first Games as a stylist, and the only Games that would ever matter to him. 

Before, as a boy, watching the broadcasts had been thrilling. Something to aspire to. Adam remembered staying up through the night with nothing but a sketchpad and a dozen pencils and drawing the Tributes wardrobe, adding his own touches, changing a line, a fold, making them his. When he met Cassidy, it had been like finding a missing puzzle piece. Fate, he had liked to say.

When he met Kris, he’d realized that he’d put his puzzle together all wrong.


End file.
